I loved Savannah when I went, good thing you are going now and not in August. It is hot as hell in August. Everything I ate there was very good. Don't forget to stop at the candy shop and get some turtles and/or pralines.

I loved Savannah. Can't remember the names of any of the restaurants we ate at, but they were mostly all in the Cotton Exchange.

There is always Paula Deen's restaurant too. Eating there can be a bit of a challenge though, as you have to sign up in advance for a seating and then wait in a parking lot until you are called.

I've never been there, but a co-worker has, a couple of times.

Supposedly Savannah has some really neat haunted mansions.

After arriving in the San Francisco area and calling restaurants only to find out reservations needed to be a month ahead I now plan my meals way ahead. Much easier to cancel than to get last minute reservations.

Dear Elizabeth:

I just posted a video by Ruth Reichl about restaurant reviewer's disguises on my Examiner.com column and mentioned you and wonder if in your distinguished reviewing career if you ever resorted to a disguise? I think we would all love to know.

The first vidalia onions are coming in now too, so its a good time to be in southern Georgia.

The title of this post sounds just like evenings at my house.

I would have punctuated it:

...reservations in advance at, at least, one good seafood restaurant... to get around the repeated word awkwardness. But that's likely wrong. We'll never know, now.

But then I couldn't have taken a swipe at an editor. EL

Better get your swipes in while you can, EL. Editors are getting far and few between.

My husband and I stayed at The Mansion for a long weekend a few years ago and had dinner at Drayton's. It was superb. Unfortunately, I do not remember what I ordered, but I remember the restaurant having beautiful décor and having a wonderful experience.

I was in Savannah for St. Patrick's Day a few years ago. It was a lot of fun. Who would have thought that one of America's most southern (culturally speaking) cities would be the best place to celebrate a holiday normally associated with such Yankee haunts as Boston and New York?

The best meal you can get in Savannah, hands down, is at Mrs Wilkes Boarding House. It is only open for lunch and worth a hour wait in a thunderstorm.

I LOVE Savannah! I went there a couple of years ago, and all of the restaurants were great, but the one I remember best was Bernie's. It's by the water in the area with cobblestones... they had the best sandwiches and hush puppies ever!

Try Carey Hilliard's out on Skidaway Road. Locals eat there, no one ever reviews it, it's been there forever, and it has the best unpretentious seafood in town since Mrs. Williams' went downhill & out of business.

I'm from Brunswick, GA, about an hour south of Savannah. While in Savannah, you should really try Elizabeth on 37th's, a very charming restaurant in a little house. Very typical Savannah.

If you do go to Paula Deen's Lady & Sons, go early (like 8 am-ish) to put your name on the wait list and check out West Broughton Street - a super cool neighborhood with chic boutiques right next store to Salvation Army stores and art supplies. My favorite place is The Paris Market -- which is really like a tour through Paree -- make sure you check out the downstairs.

If you get down to Brunswick, the best local place is Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon for a Po' Chop Sandwich. No offense, but you Bal-more people know nothing about Barbeque.

From a Georgian whose been there many times, "Elizabeth's on 32nd St." is by far rhe best restaurant in Savannah.

"The Pink House" is sorta fun.

I echo durhmast. You must go to Mrs. Wilkes. It is fantastically delicious.

Paula Deen's restaurant gets a lot of hype but it's not worth the incredible wait. Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse (which looks like it may have been renamed) also has a long line but is well worth it.

I also recommend you take advantage of the red cup rule, which basically is that you can drink whatever you want on the street, as long as it is in a red solo cup.

the best local place is Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon

I no longer feel out of place in this blog.

Bucky, doesn't Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon sound like it either has the best food for 500 miles around, or the worst?

Lissa wrote: ...doesn't Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon sound like it either has the best food for 500 miles around, or the worst?

I read it and chuckled. Then I read it again, and thought about it for a minute.

Lissa, I think that is one insightful observation.

I don't get it.

Mrs. Wilkes! Oh yes, that was a fun place. The last time I was in Savannah - much too long ago! - Mrs. Wilkes was also open for breakfast.

OK, look, just a warning: Back when I ate at Mrs. Wilkes, everyone sat at great big tables together and they just kept bringing bowls of food out and putting it on the table. There were people from all over who I thought were wonderful fun and no-end interesting to visit with over the meal. The (then) husband hated - absolutely despised - eating with strangers, especially at breakfast and b*tched about it nonstop, for days on end. I've always looked back upon that as a *sign* but since the recent discussion of "family style" at Friendly Farms, who knows? (Actually, for the first few posts, I thought y'all were kidding and then I realized it was serious. Day-um.)

Don't forget to buy a big old box of pralines! I fell in love with 'em when I visited New Orleans a few weeks ago. Eating a praline in the dining room of a haunted mansion sounds even better. Have a good time, EL.

Eve, we have a high percentage of introverts here.

Wee-Nee keeps popping into my head and making me giggle at unfortunate moments.